And where is my cattle?
by Demigods-4one
Summary: This is the story of Hermes when he stole Apollo's cattle
1. Chapter 1

I don't own the gods, the gods own themselves I think I'll burn some food to Hermes so he doesn't come after me just in case he reads this. For those who don't know in book 2 Hermes talks to Percy about the time he stole Apollo's cattle, this is that story  
******************************************************************************************************************************************************

A heard of cattle grazed in the fields under the watching eye of the moon. It was a starry night and a young man walked around a few trees and got down on his knees. A young cow looked at him and give him an affectionate 'Moo' she put her head back down to eat the grass, the youth held out his hand and she came over, he rubbed the side of her head.

The youth was being watched by an older man, he was standing in the shadows of the hills watching, he squinted out into the fields to see who was near the cows but the moon didn't offer much light so he crept closer to the cattle.  
The old man walked slowly, keen not to be heard, he stopped just behind the youth, who froze as he became aware he was being watched, he turned quickly to see who was watching him.

"Oh sir, forgive me" The man said, as he recognised the blue eyes and blonde hair, he got down on the floor and knelt at the boys feet "I didn't mean to alarm you, lord Apollo"  
The man bowed his head to the god, who smiled and stood up  
"I take no offence, you are just doing your job of watching over my cows" Apollo reached out and stroked a cow close to him. He looked up at the sky, it was black and star coved but he knew dawn was close now, time to ride the chariot.  
"I shall return later, I must go ride the skies now" Apollo turned away from the man, who quickly looked the other way as Apollo turned into his true god form and vanished. As the old man made his way back to the hills a red light had appeared in the sky, turning quickly into gold.

The light from Apollo's chariot sneaked up into the mountains, it brought light into a small cave in Mount Cyllene. A women sat resting against the wall, she rubbed her stomach and looked down next to her on the floor, there was a small cot filled with blankets and a baby was inside, this wasn't any baby, this boy had just been born yet he was aware of everything, his blue eyes were deep blue like an ocean and his black hair curled over his head, little ears stuck out making him look a little elf-ish.  
Maia put her hand on the baby's head, moving his hair out of his eyes  
"Little Hermes" she smiled down at him, Hermes gave her a rather sly grin and rolled over in his blankets, hitting the pillow to make it more comfortable. Maia watched as Hermes beat his bedding up, she picked Hermes up with the blankets and held him, she rubbed his hair as she looked out of the entrance to the sky above, Hera was up there somewhere on Olympus, Maia had avoided her wraith so far, but she knew once Hera found them both she and Hermes would be in danger.

Hermes looked around the cave, everything was a little burly, he moved his fingers and toes and took deep breaths, he felt very strong for being only a hour old, he moved his head to look up at his mother she was very pretty, her long brown hair was braided in gold and she wore something around her neck, Hermes stretched up and looked closer, it was a golden chain and a stone hanged down  
'Nice' Hermes thought, he reached out for it, he wanted it.  
"What you doing Hermes?" His mother asked  
"Eh, hug" Hermes voice was like an older child, his mother smiled, her son had said his first words, she moved her arms around the infants' body. Hermes continued to stare at the necklace.

The sun had come up fully by the time Maia laid Hermes back into bed and wrapped the blankets around his waist; he pulled a face and pushed the blankets up higher. Maia went to the side of the cave and laid down to sleep.  
The morning went by, Hermes was playing with the blankets until he felt something in his stomach. Hermes sat up and looked over to his mother, she was sleeping. His vision had became clear so had his mind, he wanted to see the world, he wanted food, a desire for meat came to him, he had never tasted meat, he had never eaten yet but he knew what he wanted. He got on his knees and lifted himself up and climbed out of bed. His mother had him dressed in some itchy clothing, he wasn't too happy about that.  
Hermes peeked out of the cave, the world outside was beautiful. The sky was blue and the grass stretched out for miles, he could see a lake nearby and the sun reflected off it. Hermes ginned, it was time for this young god to go explore


	2. Chapter 2

Hermes walked down the mountain, the grass went in between his toes and a light breeze lifted his hair, he smelt the grass and felt the heat, he smiled and ran down to the lake, he could run very fast, so fast everything was a blur has he ran, he came to the lake and looked at himself. His curly black hair fell into his eyes which were the same colour as the water, he put his hand in the lake and took a drink, the water was wet in his mouth.

An animal walked up to him and stopped by the water; it lowered its mouth to the lake and drank. Hermes grabbed it; it was green and had a shell. A tortoise!  
An idea came to Hermes; he looked around and found a jagged stone. He killed the tortoise and emptied it's shell, than washed it out, he stood up and laid the shell on the floor and ran. He came back half an hour later with reeds, a hide from an ox and some sheep guts and started work, he put them all together and looked at what he had done. It was a seven stringed lyre, he played a few notes and laughed, the noise was beautiful.

The dead tortoise didn't taste too good and after one bite he had to wash his mouth in the lake just to get rid of the taste. Hermes got up; he was hungry and wanted to find food. He looked up at the sky, some power was up here.  
"Father" Hermes whispered and walked on. Just after noon he came to a field and stopped, the field was full of cows. Hermes' stomach ached with hunger as he watched them. He walked down to them slowly, looking around for the owner. He stopped next to a tree and made himself shoes, but these shoes where the wrong way around. Hermes placed the shoes on his feet and walked up to the cows.  
Hermes looked at all the cows, they was about two hundred. Hermes looked around, they weren't anyone around and these looked tasty. Hermes bent down and lifted a cows foot and turned the hoof the wrong way, he did this to the other three feet. He made the cow walk to him, but the hoofs prints faced the other way. Hermes went around the full herd and done the same.  
He waved the cows over to him, they stood in a line facing him.

Apollo's cowherd watched Hermes' actions, he raced down the field to the young god  
Hermes held out both his hands and the cows started to walk, all the hoof prints faced the other way. Hermes turned and came face to face with an old man  
"You must be very foolish, child" the cowherd said "Do you not know whom theses cattle belong to?"  
Hermes grinned, his blue eyes sparkled and he seemed to grow in size  
"You must be the foolish one for stopping me, mortal"  
The old man took a step back, an eagle flew down from the heavens, the cowherd watched it fly by "You are a son of Zeus" he said, looking at Hermes  
"I'm a god" Hermes raised his eyebrows "I'll be on my way now, oh and not a word to anyone about these" Hermes waved his hand behind him to the cattle  
"But those are the cattle of Apollo, the sun god, it is madness to take his cattle" The man called after Hermes, who looked back with a sly grin  
"And will this Apollo really believe a infant stole them" Hermes laughed and walked on with the cows.

Hermes walked the cattle far away until he found a cave; he lined the cattle up and walked up and down. He picked out thirteen fattest cows and hid the other cows in the cave. Hermes turned and started a fire and made himself a knife out of a sharp log. Hermes killed and skinned the smallest cow and ate it, he cleaned up the mess and cleaned his mouth. Then he turned to the remaining cows and they walked to him, he killed them and burned their bodies in the fire he had just made. A burnt offering for each of the Olympians. As he came to the last god he smiled and smelt the most beautiful smell ever. He stamped on the fire until it went out and made sure the cows were safe inside the cave. As he looked up into the sky and saw that the sun was setting, an orange glow coved the sky. He set off for his cave before his mother woke and noticed he was missing.

The sun had set as Hermes walked back into the cave; he took his shoes off and chucked them away down the mountain. He straightened his clothes and climbed back into his bed and coved himself in the blanket he closed his eyes as Maia woke from her sleep, she got up and took a look at her son, he was growing fast, his cheeks were fatter and so was his stomach as though he had eaten. She stroked his hair again and looked out at the dark sky.

The cowherd was still standing in the field; he had been praying to all the gods he knew that Apollo's anger won't be too bad. He felt warmth on his face and a bright light, the old man closed his eyes and when he opened them a young boy was climbing out of a chariot, his handsome face had a smile on which quickly faded when he saw his cattle missing  
"What's happened, where are they?"  
the old man could hear the anger in his voice  
"My lord, I'm so sorry, I was watching them but this boy came and he stolen them, he wasn't just any old boy though, your father sent a sign, his boy is a god, a son of your father"  
Apollo took in his worlds and balled his fists  
"Did you get his name?" Apollo asked him, the old man shook his head  
"Terribly sorry lord Apollo, forgive me please"  
"Forgive you? You know what them cows are" Apollo's eyes flashed and the man fell to the floor, dead.  
Apollo turned away from him, they was footprints on the floor, cow and foot prints  
"I'm going to find who took my cattle and when I do they will be sorry, god or mortal" He shouted the last words and ran down the path after the footprint.


	3. Chapter 3

Apollo stopped running and tried to catch his breath, he bend down low to the ground and tried to find the tracks again, the daylight had gone completely and clouds coved the moon. A few cow prints were to the left of him, he walked along but found another set of prints facing the other way. Apollo moaned in frustration, he looked up to the sky  
"Father, where is the thief?" he hoped Zeus would answer, but he sent no sign, he wasn't going to play favourites with his own children.  
Apollo cursed and walked on. The trail led him nowhere, the footprints stopped so he walked on until he saw human footprints, but these were leading the way he had just come, he turned back and walked a few places until the track came back, he followed but soon they lead backwards again. Despair swelled up in him, the cattle were his sacred cows, all of them had been giving to him by Admetus.  
"I will find you" Apollo said to himself, he was talking about both the cattle and the thief. Hours and hours Apollo searched until he sat down on the ground, he put his head into his hands and closed his eyes.  
"Show me the thief" he muttered. Odd little images came to him, curly hair, the smell of grass, cow hoofs, human footprint, a mountain and a lake.  
"Mountains and a lake" he thought of all the places he knew which had a mountain and a lake next to each other.

He kept his eyes closed and tried to hold on to the image of the mountain, he transported by air and when he opened his eyes he was standing next to a lake with the mountain in front of him. On the floor were backward footprints, Apollo laughed, this thief was smart but not that smart, all Apollo had to do now was follow the backwards footprints. They lead him up to the mountain, he started to climb until he found a pair of shoes, these had been made so the wearer left backwards footprints. Apollo looked up and saw a cave with a dim light coming out as though someone had made a fire. He walked up and inside

A women looked at him when he entered, she got up from the floor  
"Can I help you?" she looked at Apollo, something wasn't right about his young person  
"I'm looking for someone" Apollo walked over to the small bed, a young baby was inside, his big blue eyes looked up at Apollo, his black curly hair fell into his eyes.  
Hermes stretched out his arms and rubbed his face the way a normal baby would  
"Where is my cattle thief?" Apollo asked him, his rage rising up  
Hermes yawned largely and made a baby noise, but Apollo wasn't fooled  
"You're no normal baby, you have a full set of teeth"

Maia looked over "Thief? But my Hermes isn't a thief he was only born last night"  
Apollo shook his head "No he's a thief, my cowherd seen him with my cattle"  
Hermes cursed the old man in his head  
"Now Hermes, where is my cattle?" Apollo asked  
"Guuuuu" was Hermes answer  
Apollo wasn't impressed "Stop acting like a baby, I know you're a god"  
"What's cattle?" Hermes asked "I don't know what cattle are, I was only born yes**terday"  
Hermes rolled over on to his side, his little arms pulling his blankets up and he closed his eyes  
"Your innocent tricks do not fool me" Apollo said.  
"I'm not playing tricks" Hermes said "What is cattle?"  
Apollo pulled out a bow and arrows and pointed it at Hermes  
"See this Hermes, do you want this lodged inside of you?" Apollo took aim at Hermes' heart, Hermes eyes went wide and he pulled his blankets up past his face, and started to bawl.  
Maia turned to Apollo  
"You're frightening him"  
Maia looked down at Hermes, who looked up at her with big innocent eyes and continued to cry  
Apollo again wasn't fooled, he looked at Hermes  
"Wait, they's no tears, he's faking it"  
Hermes' cries got louder, one small hand covering his face, the other was pushing Apollo's arrow away.  
"Right, if you want to act like a baby, why don't you and me go into my big bad chariot and we'll go see daddy" Apollo said in a false bright voice "Let's go"  
Apollo grabbed the infant out of his bed and walked out the cave with him. **

**Apollo clicked his finger and a chariot appeared. He climbed inside and flung Hermes in the back, the chariot took off and went straight up into the sky  
"Where we going?" Hermes asked "To cattle?"  
Apollo ignored him, he drove the chariot up to a massive city in the sky, it was all gold and white. Apollo parked his chariot in one of the gardens and pulled Hermes out by his arm, the young god tried to wiggle away from him but Apollo dragged him into a big room with twelve thrones.  
A man with black hair and gray stormy eyes was sat on the biggest throne, he looked at Hermes with interest  
"A young one like you needs to rest" The man said to Hermes, who bowed his head  
"Father"  
Zeus now looked at Apollo. "What is this?"  
Apollo stepped closer to Zeus also bowing his head "Father I come before you for **justice, the young Hermes here has stolen my cattle"  
As Apollo walked to Zeus, Hermes noticed his bow, it was gold and his arrows were so perfect. Hermes felt a tug in his gut as he saw them  
Hermes looked at Zeus with his big innocent eyes "What is cattle?"  
Apollo ignored him again "Hermes is acting innocent but I can see through him, I know he is the thief, he is very cunning"  
"What is cunning?" Hermes asked.

Zeus leaned back in his chair  
"Apollo you may tell me your story, than Hermes you may tell me yours, both of you are to be quite while the other is talking, ok then Apollo"  
Apollo launched into his story, how he had been to see his cattle in the night, he had to leave to drive the sun and when he returned his cattle were missing and his cowherd had given him a description of a young god who matched Hermes, and to tracking down his cow's footprints and how he used his prophecies to show him the mountain where Hermes lived.  
"So as you see father I have got my thief and I have brought him here for justice" Apollo finished

Zeus nodded "Thank you, now Hermes, what is your side to this story"  
Hermes walked up to Zeus and sat down at his feet, Apollo looked at the boy in disbelief, the check of him!  
"Father, I was born yes**terday and it was a hard birth so I spend the morning in my cot and I was sleeping, in the afternoon I was hungry so my mother Maia fed me, then I was sleepy so I went back to bed and didn't wake again until this person" He pointed at Apollo "Started shouting at me, he said something about 'cattle' but I do not know what cattle is, I have only just been born" **

**Hermes stood up and walked back to Apollo, his back was to him and the bow hung loosely over his shoulder. Hermes reached out and stole the bow and slid the arrows off Apollo's back, he hid them in his clothes**. He did it with so much skill Apollo didn't feel a thing.  
A smile flicked on Zeus' face  
"Father you cannot believe him" Apollo protested "Make him swear an oath that he is telling the truth"  
Zeus looked down at Hermes, the young god was now looking at the twelfth throne  
"Look at me Hermes" Hermes looked up at Zeus, his black hair in his eyes making him look like a small elf  
"Do you swear on Styx that what you have just told me is the truth" Zeus asked Hermes  
"Yes father" Hermes said  
"Swear on Styx" Apollo shouted to him  
"I swear on sticks" Hermes said looking at Apollo with a sly grin  
"Father, he said sticks not Styx, he is lying"  
"I said Styx" Hermes protested  
Zeus stood up and walked to stand in between Hermes and Apollo.  
"I have came to my verdict" Zeus said  
"Send him to Tartarus" Apollo ordered, Zeus held up his hand and Apollo went quite.  
"Hermes, I want you to lead Apollo to the cattle"  
"What's cattle?" Hermes asked  
"Hermes, you know what cattle are, and you will take Apollo to them and return them to him, they will be no punishment" Zeus sat back down on his chair  
"But father, he stole my cattle and he made a fool of me" Apollo moaned, but Zeus shoot him a look  
"Take Apollo to his cattle Hermes" Zeus moved his hand and the door opened. Hermes nodded to Zeus and gave him a little smile, his father returned it.

Hermes walked out of the room after Apollo, who walked in silence. Apollo opened the door to the chariot and climbed in, Hermes after him.  
"So where are they?" Apollo asked as the chariot took off.  
"A cave near the field were I found the cows"  
"So you do know what cattle is" Apollo said angrily as he drove off. They flew in silence until Apollo landed.  
"Where are they?" Apollo asked, Hermes pointed to the entrance and Apollo jumped out, Hermes got out and watched him. Hermes sat down on a large stone as Apollo started to gather his cows, he greeted them and his blue eyes sparkled.  
Hermes reached into his pockets and took out his Lyre, he struck a few notes, the sound reached Apollo's ears and he turned  
"What's that?" Apollo asked, Hermes noticed his voice was softer than before  
"I call it a Lyre, I made it myself" Hermes played a little more. Apollo turned back to his cows

"They's thirteen missing, where are they"  
Hermes heard the panic in his voice and suddenly felt guilty  
"Sorry, I ate one as I was hungry and I sacrificed twelve to the gods"  
Apollo turned to him  
"Twelve? No they are only eleven Olympian gods"  
Hermes shook his head  
"They are twelve Olympian gods, I am the twelfth"  
Apollo looked at him, it sounded right now looking at Hermes. Apollo turned back to his cows and Hermes watched him, he seemed down  
"I'm sorry if I have upset you, I'm really sorry about the theft, I want to make it up to you" Hermes walked to Apollo and handed him the Lyre "I feel you will use this better than me" Apollo took the Lyre and played a few notes, the sound was great  
"Thanks, this Lyre is worth fifty cows, such great workmanship" Apollo turned the Lyre over to look closer at it  
"I should give you these back too, sorry" Hermes pulled the bow and arrows out of his top, Apollo laughed when he saw them  
"You took these too? I didn't even know they had gone, I better keep my eye on you Hermes" Apollo winked at the young god.  
"I promise I won't take any of your things again, do you forgive me?" Hermes asked. Apollo nodded  
"yeah, let's forget this Hermes. I.. I want you to have this" He pulled out a pole from inside his clothes. It was a staff with two snakes entwined around it.  
"This is called the caduceus, the two snakes, one's male the other female. George is the male and Marta is the female, now say hello George and Marta"

'_Hello George and Marta, got a rat for me Hermes?"_

"George loves rats and he can be quite cheeky at times but they ok, they were giving to me by our father but I've never fitted with them, I want you to have it, I think I can guess you will be our father's messenger soon Hermes"  
Hermes reached out and took it, it felt right in his hands "Maybe you should become the god of music or poetry, it fits you"

'_Don't put ideas into his mind Hermes'_

It was the female snake this time, Apollo got his cattle and got them to walk under his chariot as he and Hermes flew in the sky. Once the cattle were back in the field Apollo returned Hermes back to Olympus  
"Now just watch out for Hera" Apollo told Hermes  
"Who?" Hermes asked  
"Hera, she is our stepmother, but she really doesn't like us that much, she tried to stop me and my twin being born, if she knew about you she'll throw you off Olympus like she did with her own son"  
Hermes looked at him "Why did she throw her own son off Olympus?"  
"Long story" Apollo laughed, he walked back into the throne room

"Well?" Zeus asked, as the two walked in  
"I returned them" Hermes said  
"All forgot about" Apollo said "I also found out who the twelfth god is" he nodded to Hermes,  
"Thought so" Zeus said "We may need to add steps for him" Zeus was looking at the twelfth throne, which was twelve foot high, Hermes looked to and grinned.

"I think I'll grow into it" Hermes said, Zeus looked at him, he had grown in a few minutes, his keen blue eyes taking everything in, Zeus watched as they rested on his lightning bolt.  
"I think we're going to have a little mischief with you, god of thiefs"


End file.
